Career and Education Opportunities for Art Directors in Arlington, Texas

Art directors can find both educational opportunities and jobs in the Arlington, Texas area. About 4,130 people are currently employed as art directors in Texas. By 2016, this is expected to grow by 13% to about 4,680 people employed. This is better than the nation as a whole, where employment opportunities for art directors are expected to grow by about 11.7%. In general, art directors formulate design concepts and presentation approaches, and direct workers engaged in art work, layout design, and copy writing for visual communications media, such as magazines, books, and packaging.

The income of an art director is about $33 per hour or $70,430 annually on average in Texas. In the U.S. as a whole, their income is about $37 per hour or $76,980 yearly on average. Earnings for art directors are better than earnings in the general category of Art and Design in Texas and better than general Art and Design category earnings nationally. Jobs in this field include: production manager, arts manager, and arts administrator.

There are eight schools within twenty-five miles of Arlington where you can study to be an art director, among eighty-seven schools of higher education total in the Arlington area. The most common level of education for art directors is an Associate's, or other 2-year degree. You can expect to spend about two years training to become an art director if you already have a high school diploma.

Art directors formulate basic layout designs and presentation approaches and specify material details, such as style and size of type. They also talk with creative or production department heads to consider client requirements and presentation concepts and to direct creative efforts. Equally important, art directors have to develop custom illustrations or other graphic elements. They are often called upon to inspect and approve art materials and proofs of printed copy developed by staff members. They are expected to inspect illustrative material to establish if it conforms to standards and specifications. Finally, art directors talk with clients to establish objectives and presentation approaches, styles, and techniques.

Every day, art directors are expected to be able to be creative and generate new ideas. They need to see details at a very fine level of focus.

It is important for art directors to mark up and complete layouts and write typography instructions to ready materials for typesetting or printing. They are often called upon to hire and direct staff members who develop layout concepts into art layouts or who ready layouts for printing. They also oversee own accounts and projects, working within budget and scheduling requirements. They are sometimes expected to attend photo shoots and printing sessions to insure that the products needed are obtained. Somewhat less frequently, art directors are also expected to ready detailed storyboards showing sequence and timing of story development for television production.

Art directors sometimes are asked to negotiate with printers and estimators to establish what services will be performed. and coordinate with creative directors to optimize layout solutions. And finally, they sometimes have to attend photo shoots and printing sessions to insure that the products needed are obtained.

Like many other jobs, art directors must be reliable and be thorough and dependable.

Similar jobs with educational opportunities in Arlington include:

Craftsman. Create or reproduce hand-made objects for sale and exhibition using a variety of techniques, such as welding, weaving, and needlecraft.

Director. Interpret script, conduct rehearsals, and direct activities of cast and technical crew for stage, motion pictures, or radio programs.

Graphic Designer. Design or create graphics to meet specific commercial or promotional needs, such as packaging, displays, or logos. May use a variety of mediums to achieve artistic or decorative effects.

Industrial Designer. Develop and design manufactured products, such as cars, home appliances, and children's toys. Combine artistic talent with research on product use, marketing, and materials to create the most functional and appealing product design.

Interior Designer. Plan, design, and furnish interiors of residential, commercial, or industrial buildings. Formulate design which is practical, aesthetic, and conducive to intended purposes, such as raising productivity, selling merchandise, or improving life style. May specialize in a particular field, style, or phase of interior design.

Multi-Media Artist or Animator. Create special effects, animation, or other visual images using film, video, or other electronic tools and media for use in products or creations, such as computer games, movies, and commercials.

Music Director. Direct and conduct instrumental or vocal performances by musical groups.

Public Relations Specialist. Engage in promoting or creating good will for individuals, groups, or organizations by writing or selecting favorable publicity material and releasing it through various communications media. May prepare and arrange displays, and make speeches.

Set and Exhibit Designer. Design special exhibits and movie, television, and theater sets. May study scripts, confer with directors, and conduct research to determine appropriate architectural styles.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES: Art Director Training

Remington College-Fort Worth Campus - Fort Worth, TX

Remington College-Fort Worth Campus, 300 E. Loop 820, Fort Worth, TX 76112-1225. Remington College-Fort Worth Campus is a small college located in Fort Worth, Texas. It is a private for-profit school with primarily 2-year programs. It has 503 students and an admission rate of 62%. Remington College-Fort Worth Campus has an associate's degree program in Graphic Design which graduated fifteen students in 2008.

Westwood College-Ft Worth - Fort Worth, TX

Westwood College-Ft Worth, 4232 North Freeway, Fort Worth, TX 76137. Westwood College-Ft Worth is a small college located in Fort Worth, Texas. It is a private for-profit school with primarily 2-year programs. It has 370 students and an admission rate of 58%. Westwood College-Ft Worth has an associate's degree program in Graphic Design which graduated thirty-two students in 2008.

The Art Institute of Dallas - Dallas, TX

The Art Institute of Dallas, 8080 Park Lane #100, Dallas, TX 75231-5993. The Art Institute of Dallas is a small school located in Dallas, Texas. It is a private for-profit school with primarily 4-year or above programs. It has 1,891 students and an admission rate of 45%. The Art Institute of Dallas has an associate's degree and a bachelor's degree program in Graphic Design which graduated thirty and forty students respectively in 2008.

Westwood College-Dallas - Dallas, TX

Westwood College-Dallas, 8390 LBJ Frwy, Exec Center 1-Ste 100, Dallas, TX 75243. Westwood College-Dallas is a small college located in Dallas, Texas. It is a private for-profit school with primarily 2-year programs. It has 504 students and an admission rate of 48%. Westwood College-Dallas has an associate's degree program in Graphic Design which graduated forty-six students in 2008.

Texas Christian University - Fort Worth, TX

Texas Christian University, 2800 S University Dr, Fort Worth, TX 76129. Texas Christian University is a medium sized university located in Fort Worth, Texas. It is a private not-for-profit school with primarily 4-year or above programs. It has 8,696 students and an admission rate of 50%. Texas Christian University has a bachelor's degree program in Graphic Design which graduated fourteen students in 2008.

North Lake College - Irving, TX

North Lake College, 5001 N MacArthur Blvd, Irving, TX 75038-3899. North Lake College is a large college located in Irving, Texas. It is a public school with primarily 2-year programs and has 10,174 students. North Lake College has a one to two year and an associate's degree program in Graphic Design which graduated one and five students respectively in 2008.

Cedar Valley College - Lancaster, TX

Cedar Valley College, 3030 N Dallas Ave, Lancaster, TX 75134-3799. Cedar Valley College is a medium sized college located in Lancaster, Texas. It is a public school with primarily 2-year programs and has 5,223 students. Cedar Valley College has a one to two year and an associate's degree program in Graphic Design which graduated four and eight students respectively in 2008.

Wade College - Dallas, TX

Wade College, 1950 Stemmons Freeway, Suite 2026 INFOMART, Dallas, TX 75207. Wade College is a small college located in Dallas, Texas. It is a private for-profit school with primarily 2-year programs and has 241 students. Wade College has an associate's degree program in Graphic Design which graduated four students in 2008.

CERTIFICATIONS

Certified Graphic Communication Manager:
The In-Plant Printing and Mailing Association's (IPMA) Certified Graphic Communications Manager (CGCM) designation was created in 1976 to establish a professional standard of proficiency for the in-house graphic arts and printing management profession.

LOCATION INFORMATION: Arlington, Texas

Arlington, Texas photo by Alienevil

Arlington is located in Tarrant County, Texas. It has a population of over 374,417, which has grown by 12.4% in the past ten years. The cost of living index in Arlington, 89, is well below the national average. New single-family homes in Arlington are priced at $154,300 on average, which is well below the state average. In 2008, four hundred twenty-six new homes were constructed in Arlington, down from eight hundred twelve the previous year.

The three most popular industries for women in Arlington are educational services, health care, and finance and insurance. For men, it is construction, accommodation and food services, and administrative and support and waste management services. The average travel time to work is about 27 minutes. More than 30.4% of Arlington residents have a bachelor's degree, which is higher than the state average. The percentage of residents with a graduate degree, 8.8%, is higher than the state average.

The unemployment rate in Arlington is 7.5%, which is less than Texas's average of 8.1%.

The percentage of Arlington residents that are affiliated with a religious congregation, 52.5%, is more than the national average but less than the state average. Advent Lutheran Church, Pleasantview Baptist Church and Central Assembly of God Church are some of the churches located in Arlington. The largest religious groups are the Southern Baptist Convention, the Catholic Church and the United Methodist Church.

Arlington is home to the Festival Marketplace and the The Parks at Arlington as well as Arlington Tennis Center - University of Texas and Doug Russel Park. Visitors to Arlington can choose from Budget Host International, Baymont Inns & Suites and Candlewood Suites for temporary stays in the area.